all that i am, all that i ever was
by starmocha
Summary: Will/Jemma. One-Shot. — "You feel like home," Will said quietly after a few minutes.


**Author's Note:** Don't mind me. I'm just spiraling down this Will/Jemma madness is all.

* * *

 **all that i am, all that i ever was  
** _by starmocha_

Fourteen years was a very long time.

 _That's over a fucking decade_ , Will mused to himself as he bounced his little ball against the cave wall.

A lot could happen in a decade. Technology advanced dramatically, as evident by Jemma's phone. New discoveries were made. Countries were destroyed. Countries were established. Babies were born and people died.

"Huh," Will huffed to himself. He caught his ball, holding it steady in his hand for a moment before letting it drop and roll away. He wondered how many people he had known on Earth had died. He wondered what became of them. They probably believed he was dead. They probably mourned and moved on, never knowing that he was still alive across the universe.

He closed his eyes and tried to picture his life back on earth, but it had been so long, the memories came in fragments. He thought he remembered the house he grew up in. He could sort of see his mother baking an apple pie. He might remember the warm scent of apple and cinnamon wafting in the air, tempting him into the kitchen to steal a delicious bite.

He opened his eyes again, slightly surprised to see Jemma sitting across from him. He wondered how she could have moved there so quietly without him noticing, but he decided not to ask aloud. He noticed his little bouncy ball in the palm of Jemma's hand, but made no comment towards it.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, her voice genuinely curious.

"Home," he responded, pausing before continuing, "Or tried to anyway."

"Tried to?"

Not knowing how to respond to her immediately, he laughed to fill the silence. After an explanation came to mind, he said it more to himself than her, "It's just been so long."

Her eyes widened in shock a little, face apparently embarrassed. "Oh, of course. I'm sorry, I should've—"

"What? There's nothing to apologize for."

Jemma stayed quiet, seemingly unsure of how to respond to him. She bit her lower lip, and then as if she remembered the ball she was holding, she bounced it towards Will, catching him off guard.

Will barely caught the ball before it hit him square in the chest.

"Hey now, what the hell was that for?"

"I am keeping you in check. You were getting too pessimistic."

"And you still have hope?"

Jemma was quiet again, and then she shook her head. "No, but I am not going to wallow in misery."

"Who's wallowing?"

Will dropped the ball again and crawled over to Jemma, trapping her up against the cave wall. Her face reddened as she averted contact with him. Her eyes shut tight when he kissed the top of her forehead, and then she let a giggle slipped.

"What?"

"Your beard," she giggled, "it tickles."

He smirked. "Didn't bother you before."

She groaned at Will's cocky tone. "I didn't say it bothered me! It just…tickles."

Will settled himself next to Jemma, watching as she dropped her head on his shoulder. He listened to her steady breathing mingling with the howling wind above ground. His eyes traveled to his hand when he felt Jemma's fingers intertwining with his.

Slowly he moved his arm and wrapped it around Jemma, watching as she huddled closer to him. They stayed still like that in silence, just letting the sound of their even breathing and the violent wind above fill the air.

"You feel like home," Will said quietly after a few minutes, tightening his embrace, almost as if he was afraid of losing this wonderful feeling. He buried his face into her hair and sighed contentedly.

"You feel like home, too," Jemma whispered back while stroking his other hand.

"You don't have to lie."

"I'm not," Jemma answered. "You're my home now."

Will chuckled feebly. "This is our home now."

He listened to her soft affirmative sigh and couldn't help but imagined their lives together down the road. He wondered if she would still be happy with him a year from now. He wondered if they would grow to resent one another. He wondered if she still loved someone other than him. He wondered—

Will shook those thoughts away, hating how bleaker they were becoming. He let out a sigh, unaware that he caught Jemma's attention. He closed his eyes and started imagining their future together again.

He wondered what new surprises they would have for one another. He wondered how many ways they could tell each other they love one another. He wondered about all of the kisses waiting for them both. He wondered if they will have children together.

Will opened his eyes at the last thought, a little embarrassed for thinking such thing so soon. He blinked in surprise when he felt Jemma kiss him on the lips.

"Wha—"

"I'm keeping you in check," she stated cheekily, "you were looking too troubled. Your face is red. What were you thinking about?"

Will stammered incoherently.

Jemma gasped playfully. "Was it something lewd? Will, you cad!"

"Cut it out, it was nothing like that!"

Jemma smiled knowingly.

"It wasn't!" Will pinched the bridge of Jemma's nose, much to her displeasure. "I was just thinking of us."

"Us?"

"I was thinking of home."

Jemma smiled and kissed him again. "We'll make this our home. For better or worse."

"For better or worse," he repeated, smiling when he saw a beautiful future twinkling in her eyes.


End file.
